Algerian Cleric Ali Belhadj, Former Vice-President of the Islamic Salvation Front, Calls Sarkozy "Despicable" for Having Muhammed Merah Buried in France; French Citizen Tears Up His Passport, Calling Sarkozy a "Pig" and Justifying Merah's Actions

Following are excerpts from an address by Algerian cleric Ali Belhadj, former vice-president of the Islamic Salvation Front, in the course of which a Muslim with dual nationality demonstratively tears up his French passport. The footage was posted on the Internet on March 30, 2012.

Ali Belhadj : Yesterday, I saw that despicable man, Sarkozy of France. Forgive me. I brought important things to talk about, but sometimes, there are things that make one go off on a tangent.

I saw the father of [Toulouse terrorist] Merah, Allah's mercy upon him...

Crowd : Allah's mercy upon him...

Ali Belhadj : He asked for his son to be buried in Algeria. True, he was a French citizen and was supposed to be buried in France, but if his father writes a letter to the president, asking that his son be buried in Algeria - why refuse?

Did his act warrant his excommunication? Is he a heretic? He should be buried in a Muslim graveyard, and prayers should be said for him.

[...]

French Muslim : Sheik, I would like to say something.

Ali Belhadj : Go ahead.

French Muslim : Sheik, this is my way of supporting... I would have like to have done it in front of Allah's enemies in France 24 TV, and in front of all the infidels. I want Allah's enemy Sarkozy to see this.

I have dual nationality. Sarkozy, Allah's curses upon you...

Tears up his French passport

Crowd : Allah Akbar... Allah Akbar...

French Muslim : I love you as a brother in Islam, Sheik... I am doing this in support of my brother in Islam, the mujahid Muhammad Merah.

Crowd : Allah Akbar... Allah Akbar...

French Muslim : By Allah, he was a lion, my brothers. Let me tell you, Sheik, he is not a kharijite. By Allah, he is a Sunni Salafi.

Sheik, I would like to tell you something.

Ali Belhadj : Go ahead.

French Muslim : I am not in a position of authority in matters of jurisprudence. You are a sheik, and I love you as a brother in Islam. By Allah, [Merah] was not in the wrong, because there are fatwas by great scholars who said: If they kill our women, kill their women, and if they kill our children, kill their children.

Sheik, he was not in the wrong. Sheik Ibn Al-Uthaymeen said this, and he was a great scholar, and Ibn Taymiyya and many others said it before. [Merah] was a God-fearing man, and I don't mind if they denounce me.

Sheik, let me say to that Sarkozy: Allah's curses upon you, you pig! You are a Jew. We know you all too well. I lived among you in France, you enemies of Allah. I was a lawyer, defending our brothers in Islam. Let me tell you something. I pray that Allah place [Merah] in Paradise. Sarkozy, you pig, may Allah freeze the blood in your veins.

Crowd : Amen.

French Muslim : Allah, bring a black day upon them.

Crowd : Amen.

French Muslim : I would also like to say to our brothers in the Forsane Alizza organization, headed by my brother Abu Hamza, who were taken to prison. Sheik, they sent 19 of them to prison, although they had nothing to do with it. They had nothing to do with those brothers. [the Forsane Alizza] are preachers, religious people, who wanted to defend women wearing the niqab.

Sheik, I'm not in a position to...

Ali Belhadj : May Allah bless you...

French Muslim : Sheik, may that lion [Merah] vouch for me on Judgment Day.